What is the water garden without the all-embracing aesthetics of aquatic plants?
The allure and unique characteristics of aquatic plants are what defines the water garden. But beyond this, the abiding partnership of moisture-loving plants and the water garden is spawned by raw necessity: keeping the pond ecologically balanced, cool and fresh and providing much needed shade for fish. A healthy water garden should have a mix of submerged, floating and marginal plants. Check out some of the popular plants that populate the water garden.
Water Lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes)
A floating plant, the roots of the water lettuce hang down into the water. They form dense mats of spongy, velvety green leaves that resemble heads of floating lettuce. Having a preference for partial shade, the water lettuce can grow to lengths of up to 10 inches and widths of up to 4 inches. They oxygenate and help clear the water by trapping sediments and using up excess nutrients. Being invasive in nature, they should be periodically thinned out so that they do not cover the entire pond.
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes)
A floating aquatic herb, the round waxy green leaves are perched on bloated air-filled hollow stalks, and hence the Malay name keladi bunting. They bear terminal spikes of striking light blue or violet flowers. Able to withstand fluctuations in nutrient supply, pH level, temperature, they can even survive in toxic water. Like the water lily, they feel at home in slow-moving water. A fast-growing plant, they should be controlled so that they do not cover the entire pond.
Swamp Potato (Sagittaria sp.)
Also known as the keladi air, they are ideal for setting on a shelf inside a pond. Bearing huge canna-like leaves and pristine white flowers with a yellow centre, they thrive in moist or wet loamy soil in direct sunlight. They can also grow in shallow, still or gently-flowing water from 15 to 30 inches deep.
Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera)
Mystical in nature, they are surprisingly easy to cultivate, even for novice gardeners. The lotus has long leaf stalks that are mottled with small bumps. Their disc-shaped leaves can measure up to 3 feet wide and either float or protrude above the water surface. With their roots in the mud, the intensely perfumed, eight-petalled lotus come in a myriad of colours from yellow to white, and in shades of peach, violet and cream, rising through the murky water to bloom clean and bright. The lotus should preferably be cultivated in a pot as they are highly invasive.
Narrow-leaved Cattail (Typha Angustifolia)
A marginal plant spread by rhizomes, the flat, grey-green, swordlike leaves ascend from the plant base to spread slightly. Native to marshes and wetlands, the inner side of each leaf is flat to slightly concave, with a convex outer side. They can be cultivated in 12 inches of water or moist soil in full sun to part shade, and can grow to 3 to 7 feet tall.
Tropical Water Lily (Nymphaea sp.)
Probably the most popular flower in the water garden, they produce highly fragrant and vividly-hued blooms. The flowers usually rise above the water surface on strong stems and can appear in brilliant yellow, pink, red and lilac. They either bloom in the day or at night with the leaves floating on the water surface. Water lilies thrive in full sunlight but cannot withstand moving water, and require heavy soil. Growing water lilies in a pond from within a pot or a basket will help curb their growth.
Fairy Moss (Azolla Caroliniana)
Ideally grown in small ponds and containers, they abhor moving water. The fronds of this tiny, aquatic fern are almost mosslike with a floating upper lobe and a submerged lower but larger lobe. They provide rapid shade cover in newly installed ponds and help keep algae in check.
Umbrella Plant (Cyperus Alternifolius)
Named after their long, pointed leaves that resemble umbrella spokes, this semi-aquatic plant grows best near ponds or are often grown in a pot partly-submerged in shallow water because of its aggressive nature. They flourish in full to partial sun and can grow to reach almost 10 feet.
The allure and unique characteristics of aquatic plants are what defines the water garden. But beyond this, the abiding partnership of moisture-loving plants and the water garden is spawned by raw necessity: keeping the pond ecologically balanced, cool and fresh and providing much needed shade for fish. A healthy water garden should have a mix of submerged, floating and marginal plants. Check out some of the popular plants that populate the water garden.
Water Lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes)
A floating plant, the roots of the water lettuce hang down into the water. They form dense mats of spongy, velvety green leaves that resemble heads of floating lettuce. Having a preference for partial shade, the water lettuce can grow to lengths of up to 10 inches and widths of up to 4 inches. They oxygenate and help clear the water by trapping sediments and using up excess nutrients. Being invasive in nature, they should be periodically thinned out so that they do not cover the entire pond.
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes)
A floating aquatic herb, the round waxy green leaves are perched on bloated air-filled hollow stalks, and hence the Malay name keladi bunting. They bear terminal spikes of striking light blue or violet flowers. Able to withstand fluctuations in nutrient supply, pH level, temperature, they can even survive in toxic water. Like the water lily, they feel at home in slow-moving water. A fast-growing plant, they should be controlled so that they do not cover the entire pond.
Swamp Potato (Sagittaria sp.)
Also known as the keladi air, they are ideal for setting on a shelf inside a pond. Bearing huge canna-like leaves and pristine white flowers with a yellow centre, they thrive in moist or wet loamy soil in direct sunlight. They can also grow in shallow, still or gently-flowing water from 15 to 30 inches deep.
Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera)
Mystical in nature, they are surprisingly easy to cultivate, even for novice gardeners. The lotus has long leaf stalks that are mottled with small bumps. Their disc-shaped leaves can measure up to 3 feet wide and either float or protrude above the water surface. With their roots in the mud, the intensely perfumed, eight-petalled lotus come in a myriad of colours from yellow to white, and in shades of peach, violet and cream, rising through the murky water to bloom clean and bright. The lotus should preferably be cultivated in a pot as they are highly invasive.
Narrow-leaved Cattail (Typha Angustifolia)
A marginal plant spread by rhizomes, the flat, grey-green, swordlike leaves ascend from the plant base to spread slightly. Native to marshes and wetlands, the inner side of each leaf is flat to slightly concave, with a convex outer side. They can be cultivated in 12 inches of water or moist soil in full sun to part shade, and can grow to 3 to 7 feet tall.
Tropical Water Lily (Nymphaea sp.)
Probably the most popular flower in the water garden, they produce highly fragrant and vividly-hued blooms. The flowers usually rise above the water surface on strong stems and can appear in brilliant yellow, pink, red and lilac. They either bloom in the day or at night with the leaves floating on the water surface. Water lilies thrive in full sunlight but cannot withstand moving water, and require heavy soil. Growing water lilies in a pond from within a pot or a basket will help curb their growth.
Fairy Moss (Azolla Caroliniana)
Ideally grown in small ponds and containers, they abhor moving water. The fronds of this tiny, aquatic fern are almost mosslike with a floating upper lobe and a submerged lower but larger lobe. They provide rapid shade cover in newly installed ponds and help keep algae in check.
Umbrella Plant (Cyperus Alternifolius)
Named after their long, pointed leaves that resemble umbrella spokes, this semi-aquatic plant grows best near ponds or are often grown in a pot partly-submerged in shallow water because of its aggressive nature. They flourish in full to partial sun and can grow to reach almost 10 feet.
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